Conference bridges are used to facilitate conference calls between two or more conference participants. In operation, multiple calls from multiple communication terminals are terminated at a conference bridge. In simpler conference bridges, the audio signals from each of the communication terminals are mixed together and provided back to each of the communication terminals. In more advanced conference bridges, the audio levels for the audio signals from the different communication devices are monitored and used to identify one or more of the audio signals to provide as an output to the communication devices. In general, the communication terminal or terminals providing the audio signals having the highest level at any given time are selected as the selected communication terminal. The audio signals from the selected communication terminals are mixed together and delivered all of the communication terminals in the conference. The audio signals from the unselected communication terminals are dropped, and thus, are not provided to the communication terminals. As such, only the audio signals provided by the selected communication terminals are presented to the communication terminals in the conference. At any given time, none of the participants will hear any participants other than those using the selected communication terminals. To avoid distractions, the audio signal from a selected communication terminal is generally not provided back to itself.
As communication technology evolves, the availability and use of conference bridges is dramatically increasing. In many corporate environments, many, if not all, employees are allocated a personal conference bridge. Service providers are also providing personal conference bridges to subscribers in large numbers. A given conference system may support virtually any number of personal conference bridges. A personal conference bridge allows an associated user to host a conference call to allow multiple conference participants to communicate with each at the same time. The user may or may not be a participant in a conference call hosted at her personal conference bridge.
Each personal conference bridge is assigned a unique access code, such as an extension, directory number, or telephony address. Conference participants use the access code, and perhaps a password or code, to gain access to the personal conference bridge. Since the personal conference bridges are generally supported in large numbers by a conference system, the access codes for the numerous personal conference bridges are similar in nature. Since the personal conference bridges are often always active, a conference participant can misdial an access code and enter another personal conference bridge. Accessing the wrong personal conference bridge may lead to interrupting another conference or waiting indefinitely for the other conference participants to join in the conference. In many instances, conference participants are not actually joined into the conference until the host or chairperson has joined; therefore, such waiting may not provide an indication of the error. Further, the automated announcement provided when accessing any personal conference bridge in a given conference system generally sounds the same, regardless of whose personal conference bridge is being used. As such, these announcements provide little or no warning to those conference participants who access the wrong personal conference bridge.
As with any personal communication mechanism, users often want to personalize greetings, announcements, and the like that are routinely presented to others. For example, it is commonplace for users to personalize voicemail greetings, out-of-office alerts, and the like. Given the personalized nature of personal conference bridges and the uniform nature of current conference announcements, there is a need for a mechanism to allow personalization or like customization of personal conference bridges. Such customization would also alert conference participants who access the wrong personal conference bridge of their error as well as provide confirmation to those conference participants joining a conference that they have joined the right conference.